Most learn about martial arts through movies and print publications, primarily fictional. “Fiction is drama, the blood of drama is conflict, and martial arts are rooted in conflict,” writes James Grady in chapter one. Good fiction uses martial arts well, while poor writing skills can be plain boring! This anthology is a collection of fifteen articles that cover the richness and depth of Asian martial arts in both movies and literature.

Spiritual Dimensions of the Martial Arts is a study of the meditative and religious elements that form the core of the great martial arts traditions.Unsurpassed in scope and detail, this martial arts book covers the spiritual beliefs and the practices of the fighting arts of India, China, Korea, Japan, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Brazil, and the United States.Subjects discussed include:Bruce Lee's unique views on spiritualit...

For nearly two generations, this translation of the Tao Te Ching has been the standard for those seeking access to the wisdom of Taoist thought. Now Jane English and her long-time editor, Toinette Lippe, have refreshed and revised the translation, so that it more faithfully reflects the Classical Chinese in which it was first written, while taking into account changes in our own language and eliminating any lingering infelicities.Lao Tsu’s philosophy is simple: Accept what...

A concise and up-to-date guide to the history, teachings, and practice of Buddhism by two luminaries in the field of world religions.

In 1980, Michael Harner blazed the trail for the worldwide revival of shamanism with his seminal classic The Way of the Shaman. In this long-awaited sequel, he provides new evidence of the reality of heavens.Drawing from a lifetime of personal shamanic experiences and more than 2,500 reports of Westerners’ experiences during shamanic ascension, Harner highlights the striking similarities between their discoveries, indicating that the heavens and spirits they’ve encountered...

A leading expert on native spirituality and shamanism reveals the four archetypal principles of the Native American medicine wheel and how they can lead us to a higher spirituality and a better world.

One Arrow, One Life is a classic treatise on kyudo, the art of traditional Japanese archery, and its relation to the ideals and practice of Zen Buddhism.With a solid introduction to the form and practice of Zen meditation, as well as a thorough description of the Eight Stages of Kyudo, One Arrow, One Life captures the subtleties of the complementary nature of thought and action, movement and stillness. Demonstrating the importance of bringing movement, posture and ...

A collection of 108 haiku poems to heighten awareness and deepen our appreciation for the ordinary in everyday lifeHaiku, the Japanese form of poetry written in just three lines, can be miraculous in its power to articulate the profundity of the simplest moment—and for that reason haiku can be a useful tool for bringing us to a heightened awareness of our lives.Here, the poet Patricia Donegan shares her experience of the haiku form as a way of insight that ...

Interest in Buddhism continues to grow throughout North America, and more and more readers are moving beyond the familiar Zen and Tibetan traditions to examine other types of Buddhism. In Shin Buddhism, Taitetsu Unno explains the philosophy anc practices of "Pure Land" Buddhism, which dates back to the sixth century C.E., when Buddhism was first introduced in Japan.While Zen Buddhism flourished in remote monasteries, the Pure Land tradition was adopted by the common people...

The timeless wisdom of this classic Taoist text can become a companion on your own spiritual journey.The Chuang-tzu is the second major text of the Taoist tradition. It was compiled in the third century BCE and follows the lead of the best-known and oldest of all Taoist texts, the Tao-te-ching (Book of the Tao and Its Potency). Representing the philosophy of its main author, Chuang Chou, along with several other early Taoist strands, the text has inspired spiritual...

How the I Ching became one of the most widely read and influential books in the worldThe I Ching originated in China as a divination manual more than three thousand years ago. In 136 BCE the emperor declared it a Confucian classic, and in the centuries that followed, this work had a profound influence on the philosophy, religion, art, literature, politics, science, technology, and medicine of various cultures throughout East Asia. Jesuit missionar...

For the student who has already mastered the basic postures, this book addresses itself to the philosophy behind the system of movements and to all the variations possible.